


Why did you leave me?

by TechnovoreX



Series: Hearts desire [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Betrayal, F/M, Insanity, Multi, Origin Story, Pain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-07-08 00:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19860295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnovoreX/pseuds/TechnovoreX
Summary: You were supposed to save me. So why was I left behind.





	1. Calm before the storm

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Treasured Memories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14184591) by [TheAwkwardStar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAwkwardStar/pseuds/TheAwkwardStar). 



After all these years it’s finally over. I’m free, no more darkness, no more Xehanort, no more pain, and no more being alone. Right?

I was having these nightmares. It was odd, they were ones of darkness, but not of xehanort. Then there were voices, they kept telling me that my friends weren’t really my friends, that they hated me. I wanted to believe it wasn’t true, but can you blame them. 

I did so many things when I was under xehanort. And all of those things I deeply regretted. I could never forgive myself for falling to the darkness, and forcing others to search for me. I could never apologize enough to atone for my sins.

“Hey sora, You alright?”. I snapped back from my thoughts and saw kairi looking down at me “are you okay. You blanked out on us” she said. I blushed and rubbed the back of my head “Yeah I’m fine, I was just lost in thought” I told her.

She smiled, oh what I wouldn’t do to protect her, but she didn’t need protection, she was already strong, even before the keyblade. I sat up and brushed my pants of dust. But then I scratched my head “I’m I forgot. Why are we here” I asked.

We had flown to radiant garden to meet up with the others. Kairi giggled and poked the tip of my nose “we came here to see the others silly” she teased. I could only smile back.

We started walking to the castle “you know she despises you” a familiar voice said. Sora didn’t stop walking but he looked back. And there he stoop, the person he once was. Tan skin, white hair, black coat, and yellow eyes.

“Xehanort” I whisper. He shook his head “wrong, I’m you” he said jabbing a finger into my chest. “But how, I thought I got rid of you”, he scoffed “I was always apart of you. Xehanort just brought me out” my other sneered.

I shook my head “you're wrong. you’re just the remainder of his influence on me”. He scowled at me then shut his eyes, sighing “call me what ever you want. Just know that you aren’t strong enough without me” he sneered. I turn back to Kairi “you’re wrong, my friends are my power”.

I cackled “just wait, and you’ll see” he then faded away. I sigh in relief and continue walking.

At the castle gates I spotted them all. King Mickey, Donald, goofy, riku, Xion, namine, Axel, Roxas, Terra, ventus and Aqua. When they saw me and kairi they smiled and waved. I smiled as well but I got the underlying feeling of darkness.

“So sora how are you holding up” aqua asked. I play with a strand of hair, and chuckled “I’ve been worse”. Riku then out a hand on my shoulder “c’mon, cheer up” he encouraged. I nodded and smiled.

Suddenly the kingdom key is called to my hand. I stared at it confused before whipping my head around. The looked at me startled and confused “Sora what’s wrong” namine asked. But I kept my gaze fixed, they wondered what I was looking at, so they turned their heads and gazed into the same direction.

They all summoned their weapons and got into their stances. Around the courtyard were waves of heartless appearing. “Heartless? Why are they here” ventus said. “Doesn’t matter, It our job to send them back. Let’s go” Riku ordered. 

I was about to join them but kairi put her arm in front of me “sora stay back, you’re still recovering”. “But kairi” I whined, “no but’s. Just trust us sora” she said. I pouted but nodded reluctantly. She smiled before running into battle.

Now it was only me and namine, she looked at me sad “so you still have nightmares?” She asked. I nodded “are they about xehanort?”. I shook my head, and by the looks of it I surprised her. “Can you tell me about it” she asked, I open my mouth to say something but I hear a yelp and a grunt.

I looked back and see Kairi on the floor struggling to prop herself up. I couldn’t bare seeing her on the floor. “Kairi!” I yelled jumping to her aid. She got up on her forearms and looked at me “Sora no, stay back” she said reaching her arm out to stop me. I disregard her pleas and I slam my Keyblade down in front of her, dispatching a group of heartless.

I turn around and offer her my hand, she grabs it and I pull her up “Sora what were you thinking, you’re sill recovering” she scolded. I drop my head “Kairi it’s just..... it’s just that I don’t want to feel left out” I explained.

She pitied me and cupped my cheek, I raised my head and smiled at her. She then looked past me and pushed me aside, slashing at a couple incoming heartless. “Kairi!” I said again. She got in front of me “Sora go back, we can handle this” she reassured.

But then she was struck by a neo-shadow. “No!” I screamed, jumping to my feet and slashing the heartless. I turn around to see her unconscious and her forehead bleeding. I drop my Keyblade and hold her in my arms “Kairi! Kairi come on wake up!” I pleaded.

She groaned but her eyes were still shut. I grit my teeth “just give in. Save your friends”, I looked up to see dark me. “Why are you here. Get away!” I growled. He knelt down and grabbed my shoulder “they protected you. Now you should protect them” he said. I don’t know why, but I find truth behind his words.

I gently lay Kairi back down and stand up. I turn around and slowly stride towards my friends and more heartless. Terra spots me “Sora! What are you doing her, get back” he screamed, making everyone look at me. I didn’t stop, I continued to walk, with the heartless noticing me.

They jump into the air, ready to pounce on me, but they never saw it coming. In a second all the heartless in a 2 meter radius of me all explode. The others looked at me surprised, then horrified when a familiar evil Keyblade is seen in my hands.

I raise my hand and look at it. For some reason, it feels just right in my hands. The kingdom key was full of light, yet the darkness of this one felt comfortable. I slash in the air and start walking again. The second heartless come near me, they explode. 

The waves of heartless started to diminish, until a darkside, rock troll and dark hide appear out of nowhere. Everyone finished up with their lesser heartless and run to join me.

But before they could reach me, I dashed forward. Running at my top speed before I hover off the ground and glide towards them. I raise my Keyblade into the air and pillars of light form around me before pushing out. They knocked the larger heartless back, enabling me to choose my opponent.

I went for the dark side first. I thrust my Keyblade forward and disappeared. Everyone looked around to see where I went. Suddenly I phase in and slash through the giant heartless, then I repeatedly disappeared then reappeared around the dark side and stabbed through him multiple times.

After the final thrust through the chest, it fall and disintegrates. I back flip and stab my Keyblade into the ground. I rip it from the ground and raise it over my head. Then a line of pillars of light appeared and smashed into Rock troll, damaging and lifting it into the air.

I jumped into the air, high enough so I’m level with the rock trolls head. I smirk and hurricane kick him in the jaw, sending him plummeting to the ground and into the dark hide. I land and swing my Keyblade down, a large spike of light appeared and impaled them both, turning them into wisps of darkness.

I’m breathing heavily now. I was panting and gasping for air, I lifted my head up and stared into the sky. I exhale and my Keyblade reverts back into the kingdom key. I chuckled and felt a little drowsy, my eyesight became blurry and the world was spinning.

“Guess I did need to rest” I chuckled before I fell backwards and blacked out. Everyone quickly ran to my side. Aqua kneeled down and cradled my motionless body “is he okay” Ventus asked.

Aqua leaned closer and pressed her ear to my chest “his breathing is steady and his heart beat is normal” she leaned back and looked at the others “my guess. He just over exerted himself”. Everyone sighed in relief but Riku looked troubled.

“Riku what’s wrong” terra said. Riku held his chin “I thought he lost his ability to use his Keyblade. So why can he wield Xehanort’s?” He questioned. Everyone pondered that, but they were brought back to reality when kairi came running.

She stopped and put her hands on her knees, catching her breath “Kairi what’s wrong. Why are you out of breath” Mickey asked. She held up her finger silencing him “lemme just, catch my breath” she huffed.

After a couple seconds she stood straight up “so are you gonna tell us what’s wrong” Axel said. “Namine just told me.... he’s having nightmares again” they all look at sora concerned. 

“Didn’t he say that his nightmares weren’t appearing as often” terra interjected. Everyone nodded. Suddenly my body jerks around and my hand flies into the air, latching onto kairi’s wrist. She yelps and jumps back a bit.

My hand drops and I stopped moving, but aqua’s brow furrows when she sees my face. “Guys, I think he’s having a nightmare” she said. Everyone looks at her then to me. My face was scrunched up, sweat trailed down my forehead and I was breathing hard.

“What should we do” goofy panicked. Riku grabbed his shoulder “first we calm down. Second, we should go to yen Sid”. “Yeah let’s hurry, I think sora is in pain right now”. They all nodded and rushed to their gummi ships

.......

After I blacked out, I was in a black abyss facing the dark version of me.

“Why are you doing this? Why torture me?”. “I’m not. you’re torturing yourself, if anything I’m here to help” dark me said. “No you’re lying, darkness is nothing but bad news” I retorted. Dark me lowered his head “is that so. Was it darkness that was bad, or was it you. I Remember you using darkness, not the other way around” he said.

I opened my mouth to say something but I immediately shut it. Is darkness really bad? Or is it that the people who use it are? I quickly snapped back and shook my head “stop feeding me lies” I snarled. “Oh but it is the truth, and only the truth” he Said.

I swipe my arm “enough of this, leave me” I yelled. Dark me wagged his finger “nope, not a chance. I exist within you, so long as you fear your friends”. I scoffed “I don’t fear them, what are you insane?”. He chuckled “we don’t, but they fear you”.

Suddenly the darkness around them began to morph. Finally they took the silhouettes of his friends “wha-what is this?” I asked. Dark me walked forward “this is your fear, your doubts, your pain, your insanity. Your nightmares”. 

The dark versions of my friends began to chuckle as they approached me. I look around and try to dash forward, but a silhouette of Ventus grabs my wrist “what’s the rush. Why don’t you play with us” he cooed. Then the others joined after.

Riku grabbed my other wrist, Kairi grabbed me from behind, aqua and terra dug their fingers into my shoulders, Roxas, Xion and axel clawed at my chest and Namine held my throat.

I choked and gagged, a stream of drool leaking from my mouth “join us Sora” they repeated. “You belong to the darkness” Roxas said, “you belong with us” Xion said. “No please, let me go” I pleaded. The grip around my throat tightened “just give in. Give yourself back to the darkness” Namine cooed.

“Please....stop” I coughed. Kairi breathed into my ear “just give in. It’s all your good for”. I went wide eyed, no she couldn’t mean that, she wanted to save me, Kairi cares about me. Right? But I panic when the silhouettes of my friends started melting into the ground.

Wait? They weren’t melting, they were sinking! And they were pulling my down as well. I tug hard on my arms “please let me go, you can’t do this” I cried, but it fell deaf upon their ears.

We sank lower and lower, the darkness beneath me felt cold and hungry, yet nostalgic and comfy. I try to shake them off but more hands appear and latch onto me, pulling my down faster. 

Tears stung my eyes and my voice in my throat “please. Somebody save me! Some body help me!” I screamed. But I knew it was over. Namine grasped my throat tight, making me gasp for air.

Only my neck up was left, but I still felt their hands over my body. I blinked a couple times and saw Riku and Kairi standing above me. Their light shining through to me “Riku! Kairi! Your here, help me!” I pleaded.

But they just stood their. I look at them with confusion and horror. Suddenly they turn and walk away “wait where are you going?! Please, don’t leave me. I wanna go back, I wanna go home. DONT’T LEAVE ME!” I cried, but they just walked away.

Then I felt it, the cold darkness swallowing me whole. It was up to my chin, I looked up hoping to extend my death, but it was no use. The darkness flooded my mouth, flowing down my throat. I choked and gagged as the thick sludge filled my insides.

My head droops to the side so one eye and a portion of my hair is still untouched. I watch as Kairi and Riku walking away and join the others. My tears began to turn red “why... did... you... leave.. me?” I whispered.

Then the darkness consumed me. I was engulfed in the black sludge, devoid of all light. I was stuck there, and no one was their to save me.

“Don’t you see it now. The truth? No matter what, in the end your friends will abandon you. They’ll leave you behind, leave you to rot away and leave you to live their lives. Do you deserve this? To live in the shadows, to wallow in despair, to swim in a endless torrent of pain and suffering. While they live a life of warmth, love, compassion and bath in the light. Do you deserve this?” 

I closed my eyes. Do I deserve this? I’ve done many bad things, but that’s when I was being used by xehanort. So was it really my fault. But I made them suffer, it was my fault they were put through this. But I proved my self, I showed them I was good. But it seemed it wasn’t enough. Why do I still get nightmares while they dream their hearts away.

I open my eyes and stare into the abyss “it’s all their fault” I uttered. I heard my darkness chuckle “and what will you do. Will you torture them? Or will you kill them?” he asked. I clench my fists “no. I’ll make them feel what I felt. I will take their light and make it my own”

“Good choice”


	2. Rage of the flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shut up! You don’t get to control my life. Nobody does!

It was dark. So dark. Nothing but a endless black abyss. I curled up and held myself as I floated around.

....... 

”Sora!”. ”Sora wake up”. ”Sora open your eyes!”. “Wake up!”.

People kept calling to me. Their voices echoed through the darkness. Their voices were soothing, yet repulsive. 

Then a bright light shown through. It was warm, but it burned. I wanted to touch it, but I wanted it to go away. Why am I having these conflicting feelings?

Suddenly the light shines brighter and I’m engulfed in the warm rays.

......

I’m hearing something. It’s faint and a bit muffled, but I can hear what they’re saying.

“What happened. Is he okay” a familiar voice said. “I’m afraid not. It seems his ties to darkness go further beyond Xehanort” a deeper voice said. Everyone gasped “so is there anything we can do to help him” a female voice said.

“Indeed but it will possibly hurt him more than it will hurt you” the deep voice stated. “What do you mean master?” Another male voice asked. “It is painful. But you must keep him contained, he must not be allowed to fight the creatures of darkness” the deep voice explained.

“You want us to quarantine him?” A more mature female voice asked. “Yes, preferably on a world. I believe his home world of destiny islands would be most suitable” the deep voice said.

“So what. We just leave him there and make sure he never leaves?”. “Yes. I’m terribly sorry, but this is the most harmless way to do this”.

Then my eyes open. I blink a couple times as the light blinds me, but then a couple shadows are casted over me “guys he’s awake” a familiar voice said. I sit up and clutch my head, my eyes finally adjusted.

I’m in the mysterious tower. In front of me was Aqua, kairi, ventus and Riku, while he others were behind them. To my right was yen sid sitting at his desk. I knew where we were, but I asked anyway “where are we” I asked.

“We’re in master yen sid’s Tower” Riku said. I slowly nodded and observed my surroundings “what happened to me?”. “You passed out, and fell unconscious” aqua explained. I replied with a soft oh.

Suddenly kairi crouched down in front of my and grabbed my hand “sora. Do you remember what happened before you fainted?” she asked. I looked at her confused and tried to think, but it came out blank “well I saw a heartless attack you, you fell unconscious, then..... I saw 2 giant heartless disappear, before I.... before I fell asleep”.

They looked at me concerned “so sora. You don’t remember anything that happened” aqua asked. I scratch my head “no. Did something happen” I asked. Aqua struggled to say something, but Riku spoke up “sora, you defeated most of the heartless in radiant garden. But you used xehanort’s keyblade” he explained.

I felt sick to the stomach and wretched forward, gasping heavily and choking. Kairi stood up and put her hand on my back “Sora, breath. Just breath. Calm down. Take deep breaths” she cooed, slowly rubbing my back until I calmed down. 

I slowly began to regain my composure “Sora why don’t we go home” Riku suggested. I looked up at him “why do you want to suddenly go home?” I asked. He struggled to answer but kairi finish his sentence “so you can properly rest. World hopping is probably stressing you out” she said.

I thought about it. Yeah, maybe that’s it “Okay, let’s go home then” I told them, they smiled. They helped me stand up and we made our way to riku’s Gummi Ship. “Okay. Buckle up” he joked. Kairi and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Destiny islands......

“Sora. Do you want to spend time on play island before we bring you to your house” Kairi asked, when we were trekking on The beach. I nodded, we walked towards the bent tree, but my shoe buckle came undone “guys hold on, my shoe came loose” I said and kneeled down to buckle my shoe back.

But when I looked up to check on them, I saw that they didn’t hear me and kept walking like I was still with them. “Guys hold on. I’m still back here!” I called, but they kept on walking.

“Wait don’t leave me behind” I said. I finally fixed my shoe and ran towards them, but something caught on my ankle and made me trip. As I push myself up from the sand, I turn around to see what hooked on my leg.

But when I saw it, my eyes bulged out of my head. Wrapped around my ankle was A tendril of darkness coming from a small pool of darkness. I quickly sit up and grab the tendril, I tug and claw at it to free my leg, but it doesn’t let up.

Suddenly the pool began to expand and more tendrils began to emerge. My blood went cold and my stomach knotted, no not again! I don’t wanna go back!. I stood up and summoned the kingdom key. I began to hack away at the tendril, but it was no use, each of my strikes bounced off like rubber.

Then the other tendrils shot up and latched onto me, grabbing my arms, legs, torso and throat. I choked at the feeling and tugged on my limbs to free myself. “Riku! kairi! Help me” I yelled but they didn’t hear me. Why couldn’t they hear me?

Then like my nightmare, I began to sink into the pool of dark sludge. I tried to climb out of the darkness like I was moving through a marsh. I desperately tried to force myself out of the pool.

I squirmed, jerked and thrashed around, but all of my efforts were for not. I couldn’t even move my arm to use my keyblade. Tears tailed down my cheeks at the terrible yet familiar feeling of being engulfed by darkness.

“RIKU! KAIRI!” I screamed. Hope filled my heart when they heard me and quickly turned around, they went wide eyed “PLEASE HELP ME! DON’T LET THEM TAKE ME! SAVE ME!” I sobbed. They ran to me but i was already neck deep in the darkness. Only my head and my out stretched left arm were out.

“Kairi! Riku! Please I don’t want to go again! Please save me, don’t leave me behind! I cried. But when Riku and Kairi jumped to grab my hand, it slipped from their grasp and I sank further into the darkness. “No! Don’t let them take me” I screamed as my head disappeared, with my hand sinking as well.

“SORA! NOOOO!” They screamed and went to grab my hand again, but i was entirely engulfed. The darkness faded and the sand beneath was the only thing left. Riku slammed the ground while kairi cried.

“no no No No NO NO NO!” Riku yelled, “He’s gone again, we were too careless and we let him slip through our fingers” he slammed the ground “dammit”. Kairi fell to her knees “no we just got him back. We let the darkness take him again. We failed Sora. We failed as his friends” she sobbed.

Riku then quickly yanked his Gummi phone from his pocket and dialled a number. After a few seconds a familiar bluenette appeared on the screen. “Hey Riku, what happ-“, “Aqua! Sora’s gone again, the darkness took him” Riku interrupted.

“What! What happened” she asked. “We don’t know, one minute we’re walking down the beach, then the next, he’s a mile behind us falling into a pit of darkness” Riku explained. Aqua then remembered, something similar happened when she saved terra from falling to the realm of darkness.

“Okay I’ll call master yen sid, and we could go to the realm of darkness” aqua said. Riku nodded, of course if that’s where aqua ended up, then Sora would end up there too. A new hope filled their hearts.

Riku hung up and looked at Kairi “cmon kairi let’s hurry. The faster we are, the faster we can save sora” he said. Kairi nodded and they dashed towards the gummi ship.

In the realm of darkness.....

“They let them take me. They were supposed to save me, to protect me. But they left me behind” I sobbed. But then I felt sand beneath me, I sat up and was met with the sight of a dark beach. Purple sand, black rocks and dark waters, a total opposite to the familiar warm islands I grew up on.

This is the realm of darkness, of course i would end up here. I grab a hand full of sand and let it sift through my fingers “I told you this would happen”. I whip my head around, it was dark me “what do you want. Or are you just here to taunt me” I asked.

He shook his head “no. I’m not here to make your life more worse than it is. I’m here to help”. I scoffed and looked at him like he was crazy “help me? All you’ve ever done was bring me pain” I snarled.

He sighed then sat down beside me “look I’m you. I’m you and you’re me, were the same yet different”. “And your point is?” I asked. He glared at me “if I’m you, why am I here. I’m not a figment of your imagination, I’m a whole separate entity from yourself”.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “When xehanort possesses someone, even if they have a strong heart of light, they’re completely taken over. But your heart stayed in the light. Do you know why” he said. I pondered that, why did I stay the same. I looked at him and shook my head.

“Because I was in the drivers seat. Your heart created me so that the light may survive. I protected you from the darkness, I made sure xehanort never took the one thing that kept you, you” he stood up and pointed at me, “your drive to protect others”.

I understood now, whenever kairi reached out to me I always answer. Albeit in a twisted and sick fashion but I still heard her. Suddenly my dark self walked away “but things are changing. Since Xehanort is gone, the universe needs a master of darkness. And it has chosen you” he said.

I stared at him confused “why me? Why would the universe choose me to replace Xehanort” I asked him. He looked at me with pity in his eyes “because your darkness is more stronger and more potent than Xehanort’s” he told me.

I stared at him in disbelief “but how? How is that possible, my heart was one of light” I argued. “Yeah. Emphasis on ‘was’. Ever since xehanort used you as a vessel your control and immunity to the darkness has grow, molding you into the perfect warrior of darkness” my dark self explained.

“So it’s Xehanort’s fault” I growled. My dark self laughed “what’s so funny” I asked him. “Actually it’s not. You may have fought off against the darkness, but you also embraced it. Your heart accepted the darkness already. You are already a master of darkness”.

I shook my head “no that isn’t true, it can’t be true. You’re lying” I growled. “Am I though. You don’t remember but before you passed out, you used darkness like nobody has seen before. It was like you talked to it, and it obeyed your command” my other self told me.

I stared at my hands before gripping my face “no no No No NO! I’m supposed to be in the light. I’m supposed to be with my friends” I cried. “Friends? Since when did they act like friends. Over all your experiences, hollow bastion, castle oblivion, the castle that never was, and the Keyblade Graveyard, when have they acted like like friends?” He asked me.

I thought hard, clawing and tugging at my hair. I know they’re my friends, I know it’s true, the answer is just tugging at the back of my head. But then I realized, all that I’ve done to them, only helped fortify their distain towards me.

They been trying help me since the beginning, but they always failed. No matter what we accomplished, I always ended up in the clutches of darkness, and in the hands of Xehanort

I release my hair and let my arms fall to my sides “it’s hopeless, I’m never leaving the darkness” I cried, tears burning my eyes. Dark me walked and stood in front of me, he grabbed my hands and helped my stand up. All of a sudden her wraps his arms around me and gives me a hug “w-wha-What” I stammered.

“You’ve been through too much. Ever since you were a child you’ve been coaxed into using the darkness. But now you have to make the choice” he stopped hugging me and back away. He raised his arms “will you use the darkness, bend it to your will, command it, or will you forever be nothing but a helpless and fragile pawn of the darkness”.

I clenched my fist and held back my tears “I’ve been with the darkness since forever. I’ve been with it for as long as I could remember, I can never escape it. So, what choice do I have” I held out my hand. Dark me gave me a sincere smile “are you sure, once you accept me, you won’t be able to turn back. You will forever bathe in the darkness”

I nodded “then if I will accept you, I’ll just become the shadow of the guardians of light”. He chuckled and shook my hand “never let go of who you are” he said as his form started to diminish, and that was left was xehanort’s keyblade and necklace containing keyblade armor.

I crouched down and picked up both of them, wearing the necklace, while I dismissed the keyblade. I inhaled once before I turned around and left the dark beach, wandering in the endless void of which is the realm of darkness.

I place my hand on my chest and gaze into the ever lasting dark sky “may your heart be the key that shapes, destiny”.

Once more I have accepted he darkness. But this time, I will have all those who oppose me, rot and burn to ash.


	3. The cold waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have accepted myself, you should too

The mysterious tower.....

Riku and Kairi busted through the door and were greeted by King Mickey, Donald, goofy, aqua, ventus, Roxas and axel. Yen sid looked at them displeased at the sudden distraction.

“Whoa whoa calm down” axel said. Kairi shot him a glare that made him cower “calm down? How can we calm down when sora was sucked into a pit of darkness!” She screamed. The old master stroked his beard “Yes this is indeed odd. Even without xehanort control, the darkness seems to be attracted to young Sora” he explained.

Everyone looked at him concerned “so sora will always be in darkness?” Aqua hesitantly asked. “That is highly likely. But there is a chance for sora, we only need to purge him of most of his darkness” he said. 

Ventus looked at him troubled “but master yen sid, won’t that create someone like vanitas, like what happened to me?” He asked. The wizard shook his head “we won’t remove his darkness entirely. but instead we will siphon a good amount from him, so he will still be complete” the master explained.

Everyone nodded “so where is sora” Roxas asked. “Oh, he’s probably in the realm of darkness. Since kairi said he fell into a pit of darkness, he must have ended up in the realm of darkness like aqua” Mickey explained. Aqua looked away and Mickey noticed.

“Gawsh aqua. You don’t need to join us if you don’t want too” he reassured. She shook her head “no that’s not it. It’s just, what if he’s in the same situation I was in, y’know stuck in the realm of darkness for a decade” she said.

Riku shook his head “it won’t be like last time. Because this time, we know where sora is, and we know we can find him” he reassured. Kairi and aqua smiled at him and nodded. “Alright since we decided to save him, who’s going” axel asked.

Everyone looked at each other, but then yen sid raised his hand to silence them “Riku, kairi, Mickey and aqua would be the best group to go” he said. Everyone nodded, then Kairi looked around “where’s terra and Xion” she asked. 

“They’re both at radiant garden with namine, ansem the wise was just doing some tests on them” Roxas explained. They nodded “so you shall depart this moment. Goofy, Donald, Roxas, ventus and Lea, you shall wait for their return at radiant garden” the master said.

They all bowed “yes master yen sid”. They all left the room and walked down the steps. Outside axel put his hand on kairi’s shoulder “hey don’t worry, I know you can do this. You’ve done this before” axel reassured. Kairi smiled and nodded back at him, aqua couldn’t help but smile as well.

but she was brought back when ventus grabbed her hand “Aqua don’t worry. I’m sure you guys can find sora. Just believe in yourself and trust the others” he told her. She smiled and hugged him “thank you ven”. He hugged her “You’re welcome” he let go of her “now it’s time for you to save sora” he said.

Aqua nodded and smiled again. With the Disney trio “guys don’t worry, I won’t be gone for long” he told his friends. “Just be careful. You don’t want to worry queen minney, Your majesty” donald said. Goofy grabbed his duck friends shoulder “don’t worry Donald. We can trust the king to come back” he said.

The duck growled by sighed “don’t worry fellas, I won’t take too long” Mickey reassured. They all nodded and Mickey joined up with Kairi, Riku and aqua “Alright, are you guys ready” he asked. They all nodded and Riku summoned a corridor of darkness.

They waved the others goodbye before leaving. After the others left axel turned and walked to a gummi ship “okay guys, we don’t want to make the others wait for us” he said. Roxas and ventus smiled and ran to him, with goofy and Donald following behind.

Realm of darkness....

On the other side of the portal, the guardians of light were greeted by a dirt path, surrounded my grass and under a dark sky “I don’t know why but.. realm of darkness feels a bit um.... safer” Riku said. The others looked at him confused but aqua felt it too.

“So where should we look?” Kairi asked looking up at her friends. Riku rubbed his chin “when we were looking for aqua, Mickey and I were looking for her light. So we should do the same with sora”. Aqua pondered that “So we just follow a feeling” she asked.

Mickey and Riku nodded “basically. But we have to be quick, who knows what could happen here” the mouse king pointed out. “Right” they all said as they started walking.

It must have only been minutes but time felt like it dragged on for hours “come on sora, where are you” Riku whispered to himself. Kairi held her hand over her heart “sora. Please be okay” she whispered too. 

They walked a bit further, coming to a dark but familiar beach. “Hey Riku. Isn’t this where we ended up after the castle that never was” kairi mentioned. Riku remembered and nodded “yeah, this was before sora disappeared the 2nd time”. They both dropped their heads.

“Aw come on guys, cheer up. Sora only disappeared because of xehanort” Mickey reminded them. Their eyes widened “Yeah. He only disappeared those times because xehanort kept taking him” Kairi said before tears started to prickle the corners of her eyes.

Aqua put her hand on her back “don’t worry kairi, we’ll find him” she smiled. Kairi whiles her tears with her finger “yeah” she mustered. They continued to walked down the beach, looking around to find any hope of their missing friend.

“Over there, look!” Aqua pointed. In the distance, on a small hill was sora. He was lying down on his back and his head was tilted to the side. They instantly sprinted towards him, but something was wrong. The closer they got, the more they saw.

When they gotten close enough they gasped, with Kairi almost tripping on herself if it wasn’t for Riku catching her. Sora laid on the sand unconscious, his clothes were torn and shredded, his skin had cuts and bruises, and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.

Kairi immediately dropped to her knees and cradled his sleeping body, resting his head on her thighs and holding his face in her palms. She pressed a finger to his neck and leaned closer to his face. She felt his pulse under her finger and she felt his breath against her face, tickling her cheeks.

“He’s breathing and his pulse is steady” she announced. She removed a hand from his face and hovered it over his head. Her hand glowed green before healing magic bloomed from her hand. The flowers and vines of the magic closing up all the open cuts, and making the bruises fade.

She pulls him up and hold him close to her, pressing her body flush against her. She held hug tightly, like if she let him slip he would disappear again. And she wouldn’t let that happen again. But as she hugged him she noticed something.

His chest was hard and firm, she could feel his pecs and abs pressed against her, while her hands felt the strong muscles in his back. She blushed at the feeling, she always thought of him as a close friend, but lately she’s been having conflicting feelings for him.

Regardless she loves sora, wether as a friend, or as something else. Riku kneels down and puts his arms behind sora, prompting Kairi to let go so riku could carry him. As he hoisted sora up in his arms bridal style, he felt something tugging at the back of his head.

He looked around and shook his head “Riku? Is something wrong?” Aqua asked. “No it’s fine. I just feel a bit weary. I think we should leave as fast as possible” he said. They all nodded and king Mickey summoned a corridor of light to radiant garden, so they could meet with the others.

As they walked into the portal, kairi notice sora’s fingers twitch, she thought about it she just brushed it off. On the other side they were greeted by Roxas, Xion, namine and ventus.

“Hey guys your back. And sora’s with you” Ventus beamed, But when he ran up to them and saw sora he frowned. The other 3 walked up to them too “what happened to him?” Namine asked.

They shrugged “we don’t know. We just found him like this” they explained. The blondes and the ravenette couldn’t help but furrow their brows in concern “anyway, we need ansem to check up on him” Riku interjected. They snapped out of it and nodded.

They walked into the castle and were immediately met with terra walking behind Ansem the wise and Even “terra” aqua called. Terra looked up and smiled, he excused himself from the scientists and went up and hugged aqua “how have you been doing” he asked before releasing her from the hug.

“Fine. But we need to talk to Ansem, sora’s not in a good condition right now” she said. Terra peered over her shoulder to see Riku carrying sora, he nods and moved out of the way “master ansem, we need your help” aqua asked.

He held up his hand “Ansem is fine. So what do you need” he asked. She moved out of the way, letting Riku walk up with sora in his arms, ansem hummed “So what is the issue”. “We just brought him back from the realm of darkness” Riku paused for a second.

“But when we found him, he was covered in cuts and bruises. We healed him externally but when need to confirm his health” Riku explained. Ansem nodded “okay. Follow us to the examination room so we can check on him” he said. Riku nodded and followed the 2 scientists, with Kairi following.

When they got to the room Riku gently laid sora on the examination chair. Ansem and Even started hooking stuff to his body, moving his shirt out of the way. When they did that Riku and Kairi got a good look at his midriff, it surprised the both of them.

Hidden underneath sora’s shirt was a well sculpted 6-pack. They couldn’t believe it, he was skinnier that Riku but had such defined abdominal muscles, then they realized it. Sora wasn’t as skinny as he was before, his body looked a bit beefier than usual. 

His arms were built and large, no longer thin and lean, his shoulders were more broad and strong, his face had less baby fat, being more angular than round, and his body looked a bit longer? If that’s the right word. 

After the scientists stopped attaching machinery to his body, they checked some charts, screams and some graphs. “Alright we’re going to scan him” Even warned as he pressed a button and a machine above sora appeared.

It unfolded itself and a green light started scanning him, it started from his feet and slowly made its way up to his head, before going back down. Even looked at his tablet before showing it to ansem, who nodded “well is he okay?” Kairi asked. 

Ansem looked up and sighed “he is fine but we have found something” he said. Even handed him his tablet and he held it out to them, Riku grabbed it and looked at it with Kairi. On the tablet was a model of sora, his whole entire body on display.

They were right he got buffer, if they didn’t know who they were looking at, they would think it was someone else. But they refocused and tried to look for the issue, and it was clearly indicated on the screen. With a red circle around it, an object was lodged in between 2 of his left ribs.

“What is it?” Riku asked. “We don’t know. But we were going to preform surgery to remove it” Even added. They looked at the scientists concerned “will he be okay” they asked. “We will be as careful as can be, do not worry. But we do need you to leave as not to disturb us” Ansem told them.

“Oh yeah. We’ll leave” Riku said, grabbing kairi’s hand and pulling her out of the room. The scientists immediately started working to get whatever was stuck in sora, out of him.

Meanwhile.... 

The others were chatting idly until Riku and Kairi walked into the room without sora. “Hey guys, what’s wrong. Where’s sora?” Axel asked. “They looked up at him “they found something lodged in his ribs, so their preforming surgery to remove it” kairi explained.

The others looked to each other concerned “will he be alright” Xion asked. Kairi and Riku snugged “we don’t know. All we can do is hope that Ansem and Even know what they’re doing. They all nodded and waited it out by chatting.

.....

“So what have you decided to do” he asked me. “Well I decided that I need to be stronger that others, with or without a keyblade” I responded. He nodded at me “and how will you do that?” My dark self asked me.

I grinned “it’s quite simple really. Darkness is somehow more diverse than light could ever be” I told him. “Oh okay, so darkness is the answer?” He questioned me. I shrugged “pretty much yeah”.

Suddenly my station of revelation begins to rumble “I’m guessing their removing the surprise” my dark self pointed out. I glared at him and put my hands on my hip “you don’t think” I quipped sarcastically.

Then everything goes black.

......

After what seemed like an hour, Even walked into the room with his tablet “the operation was a success! We have removed the foreign object from his ribs” but he looked disturbed. “Is something wrong?” Aqua asked. 

Even looked back up at them and cleared his throat “Sora is still asleep, due to some anesthetics we gave him so you can’t talk to him right now. But we can show you what was lodge in his side” Even said. 

They all stood up, so he turned around and motioned for them to follow. Then they walked into the operating room, and they were greeted by the sight of Ansem cleaning some tools, and sora who is fast asleep with a peaceful look on his face.

Ansem finished cleaning a scalpel before finally noticing them “ah Riku. Sora is perfectly fine, nothing life threatening” he reassured. They all sighed in belief, but Ansem had a expression of worry on his face. “Ansem, is something wrong” aqua asked.

He nodded “what we found lodged in between his ribs is what worries me” he said. He walked over to a cart and picked up a metal bowl. Then he walked over to the guardians and showed them what was inside sora moments ago.

Kairi and Riku froze and stared at it in shock, while the others were confused about what is was. “Um, what is that” axel asked. Riku and Kairi gulped “That was the end of my old keyblade. Way to dawn” Riku muttered. The others gasped and took another good look at it.

It was small, but indeed sharp. It was mostly red with a purplish rim, and on the opposite side of the purple, a little sliver of white was attached “so you’re saying that a piece of riku’s broken keyblade was jammed into sora” Axel said.

Ansem painfully nodded “I’m afraid so. But what disturbs me is why it was there on the first place”. Everyone looked to Riku, he sighed “when we were looking for aqua, my keyblade broke so I stabbed it into the sand and we left to get a replacement” he explained.

But he rested his chin on his knuckles “but the tip was broken off and disappeared. So I have no clue why it ended there” he finished. Riku was clearly disturbed, his hands were shaking and his eyes were a bit watery, suddenly he felt someone garb his hand. He looked down and saw Kairi holding his hand “Riku don’t worry. What ever happened doesn’t have to do with you”.

He smiled back at her “yeah you’re right”. Suddenly they hear a clatter and a loud boom “what was that?” Ventus asked. “That’s the room sora’s Was in” Ansem yelled running to him. The others exclaimed as they followed him.

Once the door to the room opened, Ansem’s Eyes widened in horror “what! What happend! Did something happen to Sora?” Ventus asked. The others came into the doorway and shared the same expression as Ansem.

Before them was a tragedy. All the medical equipment was strewn across the floor, scalpels, needles and other surgical tools were spread all over. The electrical equipment were pulled out of the sockets and smashed into the floor, scratches and dents riddled the floor and walls. But the most disturbing of the room was Sora.

His body was no longer laying in the chair in a calm demeanour. Now his arms and legs fell past the chair. Blood leaked from he edge of his mouth and from the corner of his eyes “Sora!” Kairi cried running to his side. She hovered her hands over him, but dark lightning arched off of him and electrocuted her.

She winced and pulled her hand back “wha-what the heck” she exclaimed. Suddenly Sora jerked and hacked up blood and black goo “Sora!” Riku yelped this time. He grabbed Sora shoulders, wincing and grunting as his hands burned from the black lightning. He disregarded the pain and shook him.

“Sora! Sora! Wake up! WAKE UP!” He cried. Suddenly a surge of darkness burst from Sora, sending Riku flying into a wall and knocking the others onto the floor. Everyone blacked out, but Kairi was still holding onto her consciousness. 

As her vision blurred and her eye lids felt heavy, she struggled to look up. She watched as Sora slowly stood up from the chair and stretch his arms, he turned showing off his bare chest and muscles. He summoned a corridor of darkness and pulled out a black coat, shrugging it on. He turned around and summoned a lagger corridor of darkness.

Before leaving he glanced back and his unconscious friends. Kairo hopes to see his sky blues eyes, whether than the disgusting yellow. But imaging he shock to her when she saw his crimson eyes, she reached out to him “So-ra” she uttered before passing out.

Sora scoffed and walked through the corridor, ending up on destiny islands. He inhaled the ocean breeze, the warmth of the sun and the sand shifting under his feet, it was home, his home. But it wasn’t no longer. 

....

I walked along the beach and climbed the ladder, before jumping onto the bent tree. I put my hands together and lean forward, with my legs spread. I exhaled and looked up into the sky, the clear blue sky with barely any clouds quickly turned into a orangish hue. “It’s like me” i stared, “how so” my darkness asked.

I smiled “the blue sky shifting into red as time goes on. As day becomes night, morning becomes evening, and light becoming darkness”. He laughed “oh that ideology of yours. Never ceases to amaze me, but that does mean you are yourself” he said. 

I nodded but grimaced right after “was this really the right choice? Did I have to do this to ensure my happiness and their peace?” I asked. “It was not my decision, your heart guided you, so you should listen to it further” he said. I nodded again and a thought came into my head.

“Hey do you hunk I can place my heart in other vessels?” I asked my darkness. “Like what Xehanort did?” He wanted to confirm. “Yeah. Put my heart in separate bodies”, I could feel him rub his chin “well it wouldn’t hurt to try. Hell it Xehanort could do it. Why wouldn’t you” he said.

I smiled “so who will your victims be” he asked. I shook my head “that’s how I’ll differentiate from him. I won’t take another body, I just use an empty one” I explained. It took him a moment “so you’ll use replicas?” He asked.

“Yup. what better companions could I have in my cause” I raised my arms “than me”. “You’re insane. But that isn’t a problem” he told me. I smiled and jumped off the tree, I just stood still as I watch the sun set into nighttime.

“Mom. I’m sorry” tears streamed down my left cheek but not my right. 

I summoned the gazing eye and held it with both hands. I pointed it down and drive my Keyblade into ground, darkness pooled around my feet before it expanded and engulfed destiny islands. 

“May the darkness preserve this wonderful place. Hold it in time to leave it’s legacy. This world shall forever be embedded into my heart, stay true in my mind, and make its place in my memories. Destiny islands shall forever be. My. Home”

Then destiny islands fell to darkness yet again. As my new powers surged within me, my powers sent me to twilight town.

What to do next?


	4. Freezing despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falling to the depths. I’ve stayed in the shadows

Her eyes fluttered open, she quickly raised her hand to shield her eyes. As her eyes adjusted to the blinding light, she propped herself up on her elbows and clutched her head. A ringing pain was sent through her head “ugh...what..happened”.

“Kairi, you’re awake” someone cried. She turned her head and rubbed her eyes, when they focused she saw Sora in front of her “so-ra?” She groggily asked. Then the hazy image of Sora turned into Roxas “wrong but kinda” he replied.

“Sorry, it just that I thought you were Sora for a second” she explained. She teared up a bit “wha-what happened. Where’s Sora”. Roxas looked away “he’s gone. The ones who woke up before us found no sign of him” Roxas painfully told her.

Kairi jumped off the bed, even though she immediately became dizzy and stumbling from the sudden rise. She darted out of the room, frantically searching each and every room, looking for any signs of Sora. But she was cut short when she bumped into a sturdy back.

She fell into her butt and winced “Kairi? What are you doing up”. She looked at the person she bumped into and it was Riku. She jumped to her feet and grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer “where’s Sora!” She growled, frightening Riku. He gulped and raised his hands defensively.

“Sora disappeared Kairi. Me and Ansem were the first to wake up, and when we search for him, he was gone. He just vanished” he told her. She was completely appalled, her face contorting into one of pure shock “no. That’s not true. He didn’t disappear again” she cried.

She would have fallen to her knees, but Riku held onto her arms. She heard foot steps behind her and turned around, she saw aqua, axel and Roxas “Kairi. We know that you’ve done so much to save him, but you can’t act so irrationally about it” Aqua said.

Kairi sniffled and nodded. She then looked around “where’s, Ventus, terra, Xion and Namine?” She asked. “Terra and Ventus are watching the girls. Out of all of us, they were hurt the most. Namine sprained her left wrist and her right ankle” Roxas explained.

Kairi seemed a bit disturbed at the information, yet she nodded. What happened to sora this time? Did he fall to darkness again? Was it our fault? Did we push him away? Did we force him into the darkness? All these questions filled Kairi’s mind. Plaguing all he thoughts with ones of sora.

You couldn’t help but pity her.

Twilight Town.....

I was wandering around the forest, chilling in the abandoned mansion, hanging around some trees. Just doing random stuff to waist time. Heartless were there, but they didn’t attack me, in fact they obeyed me. My other was right, my darkness was stronger, I’ve been commanding them.

I was laying down against a tree on a thick branch. I was napping with my hands behind my head, I peer down to see some power wilds holding some fruit. I jump down and reach my hand out, a power wild gives me an apple.

I smile and wipe it on my shirt. But I look down disgusted, oh yeah I forgot, they removed my shirt when they were inspecting me. I was wiping the apple against my bare chest. I tapped my chin and summoned a corridor of darkness.

I pulled out the black organization cloak I wore earlier and shrugged it on. I don’t know why I took it off through. I feel comfortable like this, akin to like a second skin to me. It seemed a bit tighter than last time, but I paid it no mind. 

I got bored of the forest so I made my way to the sewer system. As much as it smelled, I trekked on, eventually I made it out and wandered the streets of twilight town. I breathed in the air and admired the eternal setting sun, I always found it weird that some worlds stayed at a certain point in time.

But I suddenly got a little hungry, I didn’t want to eat a meal, but my stomach was grumbling. Then i spotted the ice cream cart at the corner of my eye, I smiled and walked over there “hi there, I’d like one ice cream please” I asked. The lady poked her head up “sure young man” she said.

I fished out my wallet and paid for my ice cream. Surprisingly I have a large sum of money, don’t know why but I do. I smiled as she handed me the popsicle and I walked away.

I tore off the wrapper a took a bite out of the freezing treat, salty yet sweet. I like it. I slowly ate the rest, finishing it under a couple minutes. As I licked the last piece off I looked at the wooden stick, it read ‘winner’.

I tucked the stick into my pocket and summoned another corridor of darkness. I quickly took a quick glance at the beautiful town, then I left.

As I walked through the darkness I thought to myself. Where could I go now? I sealed my home away in the realm of darkness so it could stay safe, but i removed that as an option. So where could I go. Well radiant garden is an option, but the others are still there.

You know what! Screw it, I’ll go there anyway. I directed the portal to radiant garden and continued to walk. 

Radiant garden....

As I walked out into the bright world I pulled up my hood to shield my eyes. The light burned, its presence an ever living pain, why do heartless yearn for the light in people’s hearts, I don’t understand.

I wandered around a bit, looking at all the Changes they made. Since this used to be hollow bastion the changes were quite noticeable. The purple stone and dark atmosphere was replaced by white bricks and a warming sensation.

I wondered if the restoration committee was still active? Maybe I’ll check for them. Suddenly I get a searing pain in my side and got launched into a brick wall. I peel off like a bandaid and drop to the floor, I push myself up and rubbed my head.

That’s gonna bruise. I looked at my side, it was smoking and burn marks singed my coat. I looked up to see Kairi, pointing her keyblade at me, she had an enraged expression, tears streaming down her cheeks and the tip of destiny’s embrace was smoking.

“Give me back sora!” She yelled. I stood straight and clutched my ribs, I turned and started walking away. Actually it was more like limping but you get the point. I saw her grit her teeth “come back here!” She screamed. Running at me while screeching bloody murder.

She jumped into the air and raised her keyblade, she brought it down on my back, crushing my spine with loud cracks. I fall to the ground, clutching my side while I reach out and crawl away “oh no you don’t!” She growled. She slammed destiny’s embrace down on my back again fracturing some of my ribs.

I tried to crawl away must she raised her boot and stomped on my hand, crushing my knuckles and fingers. I let out a pained groan and grunt “tell me” she grabbed my hood and threw me back. She then stood over me and pulled me up “TELL ME WHERE HE IS”.

“Kairi stop!” Someone called. I peer to my left to see Riku running over, he grabs her wrist that was lifting me up “Kairi you’ve gone too far” he said. She shook her head, tears were flung around and she snarled at me “no I haven’t” she bit back.

She reeled her right arm to smash my head in, but Riku grabs both of her wrists and yanks them back, making Kairi drop both her Keyblade and me to the stone floor. “Riku, what are you doing?!” She resisted, thrashing around.

“Kairi! You have to calm down. You almost killed him” he said pointing to me. “He must have taken Sora, he deserves it” she growled. I frown and bite my lips, I’m whimpering and tears threaten to fall, but I cast those emotions aside. I just wanted to leave, but she crippled me, I couldn’t do anything, I was completely at their mercy.

Then I heard some others run up. With my remaining strength I turn my head slightly. Namine, Xion, Roxas and Ventus, all the people who originated from me. As Kairi continued to struggle Ventus and Namine approaches me “hey are you alright” Ventus asked. 

He went out to touch me, but when his fingers pressed against my shoulder blade, I let out a scream of pain. They jerk back startled “Kairi what did you do?!” They asked her. I turned my head a bit more, she finally freed herself from riku “I gave him what he deserved”.

But before anyone could disagree, she reeled her leg back and kicked me square in the head. The force threw me up and I slammed into the wall again. “What the hell kairi?!” Riku yelled. The blondes and the ravenette immediately came to my aid, they all knelt down, figuring out how to help me.

“Uh um, let me heal you” Ventus answered. “Are you sure, he won’t attack us or anything, right?” Xion asked. “Hopefully not” Namine said. Then green energy flowed from ventus’s hand, the magic reconnecting muscle and repairing my fractured bones.

Once my hand and spine were completely fixed, I propped myself up on my knees and forearms. But I slipped and smacked the ground with a loud thud, they winced “are you okay, do you need some help?” Xion asked. I nodded slowly and my breathing was loud and laboured, Roxas and Ventus helped me to my feet and hook either of my arms around their shoulders.

Kairi tried to pounce on me, but Riku quickly grabbed her “give him back, give Sora back!” She howled. The identical blondes look at me “I can’t, he’s gone” I told her. They all stared at me “what do you mean he’s gone” namine asked. I coughed, some blood flew onto the floor. 

I slipped from their hold and fell to the ground on my knees, I clutched my side again and coughed into my hand “you can no longer save him, He has fallen to darkness. The boy called Sora, is no more” I coughed. Kairi stared at me horrified “no no no No No No NO NO NO NO!” She screamed.

She picked up a rock and flung it at my head, she grabbed another and another and continued to bombard my head. Riku bear hugged her “Riku stop! Let me go” she roared. His face scrunched up and sweat plastered his forehead “Kairi calm down, just calm down” he tried, but she kept kicking her legs.

I stood up straight. Hold on, am I taller now? I’m riku’s size now, what the heck. I stumbled for a second before I found my balance “he has cast aside his life, for a new purpose” I said. They stayed silent for a couple seconds “wha-what is it” Xion asked.

I flexed my hand “DARKNESS!”. Suddenly tendrils of darkness sprouted out from the ground and wrapped around Roxas, Ventus, Xion and Namine. I started cackling maniacally “this wouldn’t have happened, if it wasn’t for the failure of a princess of hearts” I roared back. Kairi wanted to bash my face in, but Riku held her back.

She looked at him shocked and confused “what are you doing Riku?!”. “We can’t attack him, what will he do to them if we do” he answered. I snickered “smart choice master. If you made one more step, I would’ve pulled them into the darkness like sora” I mused. Kairi bared her teeth at me like a rabid dog “fuck off!”.

I genuinely looked surprised at that. I chuckled and walked towards the center, the tendrils of darkness following me “unlike xehanort, I won’t use darkness for self gain.... okay maybe a little, but I will serve my new purpose” I proclaimed.

Axel, terra and aqua run outside and summoned their keyblades “Riku what happened” aqua asked. Riku still holding onto Kairi, dragged themselves over to the others “Kairi attacked him, so he’s holding them hostage, just in case” he explained.

They threw some surprise looks at Kairi before looking back to me “I will release them. If you let me go” I told them. They tightened their grips on their keyblades and strengthened their stances “why should we?” Axel Said. “Because, I’m not the keyblade wielders that broke my spine and hand” I yelled.

They looked surprised and glanced at Kairi “oh he deserved it”. I shook my head “I didn’t. I came here to enjoy the scenery, but you ruined my day” I complained. I groaned and released the blondes and ravanette, I pinch the bridge of my nose “just go. I don’t care anymore”.

They ran away and grouped up with the others, summoning their keyblades if necessary. I summoned a corridor of darkness, but I fell to my knees and the portal faltered, crap I’m to exhausted. Something feels wrong, wha- I wretch forward, putting my hands on my stomach and vomit blood.

I jumped back a little woozy, how have I not passed out? Im congratulating myself for living this long. I wiped the blood from my mouth from the back of my hand, tasting the coppery flavor on my mouth, I need to leave now! I began to limp away, the feeling in my left leg gone.

“Just a little more” I gasped. Limping more before I tripped and fell face first into the ground, I didn’t stop there, I dug my fingers into the ground and began to crawl away. They pitied me, while Kairi absolutely despised and loathed me. Couldn’t blame her thought, her encounters with the organization were not the best.

Suddenly I felt my arms being pulled and I was lifted off the ground, I looked around and saw axel and terra holding my arms up “well I was bound to die anyway” I joked, coughing some more blood. They looked at each other “were not going to kill you.... if you don’t give us a reason to” terra reassured.

I chuckled in disbelief, but I nodded my head “guess you guys are too trusting”. I remove my arm from axel’s Grasp and back hand him away, I turn on Terra and push him down, digging my hands into his face. “Terra” aqua cried out, running towards us. 

Terra looked at me with horror in his eyes, I brushed his cheeks with my thumb “don’t worry, I’m helping you” I cooed. I dug my fingers into his flesh and began to absorb his darkness, Terra howled in pain. Darkness pooled around our legs and shot up from the ground.

Aqua tried to interrupt us, but black lighting electrocuted her “we can’t get near them” aqua called. Kairi gritted her teeth “I knew it. He’s no good” she growled. “Wait look!” Ventus pointed out. They looked at us and saw terra’s, hair darken into brown and his skin becoming lighter.

The darkness dissipated, I let go of terra and he fell back. I pump my arms into the air “yes yes YES! I’m back in this baby!” I yelled. Terra sat on his knees, his head was slumped down and his arms laid limps by his sides. “Terra” aqua cried running to him, catching terra as he fell back. 

I stepped back and open and closed my hand, “hmm it seems your darkness filled me up” I said. I cackled again, turning to look at Kairi “it seems like your hatred towards me was true. You always hated me”. I clapped viciously “I thought you cared about me. But you showed me, your hatred and despise towards me”.

I finally pulled my hood off, their eyes widened in shock and horror. They froze, their skin was pale, blood was cold, muscle tensed up, stomachs noted, breathing stopped, and their voices caught in their throat. “S-Sora?” She asked. My eyes we closed but my spiky brown hair ruffled in the breeze.

My lightly tanned skin glistened like bronze. Tears welled up in their eyes “s-sora you’re fine” Kairi said. I heard her running up to me, probably for a hug. I opened my eyes and she halted running, eyes widening in horror.

Deep blue eyes like the sea, gazing into crimson eyes like bright blood “Sora. What happened to your eyes?!” Roxas asked. I kept my straight frowning face “I excepted who I am, but I didn’t want to strain you” I glared at Kairi and bowed to her “and thank you princess, for brutally maiming me earlier. How you enjoyed the crunching of my bones, splitting of my flesh and the tearing of my muscle” I snarled.

She stumbled back, staring at me with regret, fear and sorrow “Sora I-I’m s-sorry. I d-didn’t know” she cried. I shook my head “I know, you care for me and I accept that. Regardless your love for a person shouldn’t blind your compassion and empathy. You almost killed me, but I forgive you, but if you falter again I will regret my compassion”.

I closed my eyes and turned, walking away “wait! Sora!” Riku called, running after me. I turned and the gazing eye heeded my call, bared against his throat Riku stopped midway “Sora wha-what”. I smirked at him and came closer, I was actually a bit taller than him, I was right.

“You all showed me. I was never destined to live among the light, I was destined to live as a shadow. To forever watch you all live in grace, while I deserve to live in the darkness” I preached. “Sora wait, you don’t belong with darkness, you belong with us” riku argued.

I smirk at him and lower my keyblade, I walk up in his face and stare him down “if I belong with you guys, why did you leave my behind?”. Riku and Kairi’s eyes widen in realization “why did I disappear in the first place? Who were the 2 that went ahead when I told you to wait”.

“Sora what happened on the beach wa-“. “Was an accident. Is that what you were going to say, while you were chatting away, I was calling your names, yet it fell on deaf ears” I grabbed riku’s throat and lifted him into the air, he clawed at my hand “So-ra....plea-se....stop!” He yelled. 

I threw him into the wall and dashed into him, jamming my knee into his stomach, he coughed up blood “I’m thankful you’ve saved me so many times. But now you needn’t worry, I am in no need of saving” I jump backwards, in mid air I summon my armor.

I land with my helmet off “i am the true master of darkness. I will lead the shadows and consume the light. It is my destiny”. They stared at me horrified “Sora, why?” Kairi cried. “Because, you guys haves showed me the way. I am nothing but a broken boy, whom you pity”.

I sighed and rested my hands on the pommel of my keyblade “but now, a king will rule his kingdom” i phase out, they looked around for me. “Gah!”, everyone turns around, their eyes bulge out of their skulls. I had stabbed Ventus though his chest, his eyes shoot from his chest to my face.

“I need you Ventus, your going to stay with me”, I ripped my keyblade from his chest and jumped back, pulling his body with me. Then a orb of light flew from his chest, I grabbed it and pushed it into mine. I chuckled “now we’re back together again”.

I look back to the others “this is not the end, this is only the beginning!” I raise my arms and free fall backwards into a pool of darkness, disappearing from the world.

“Ventus” Aqua cried as his body laid limp on the ground. Namine came to his side and press her ear against his chest, her eyes widening in sadness “he’s not breathing. No heart beat”. Riku pushes himself up, coughing while he held his throat “whe-where’s sora?” He asked.

“He disappeared. He took ven’s heart and left” Roxas said. Riku looked absolutely baffled “wha-why?”. Namine then felt something, she clutched her head and winced, Xion knelt beside her and braced namine with a hand on her back.

“What’s wrong. What happened?” Xion asked. Namine gulped “Sora. He’s gonna steal our hearts, Ventus lives inside of him, and Xion, Roxas and I originated from him. So he’s going to take us back!” She screamed.

They all gasped. “H-he can’t do this to us. We’re his friends” Roxas argued. “Are we really though? It seems like he doesn’t consider us as friends” terra groaned, propping himself up on his elbows. Axel ran to him and helped him stand up “terra. Are you alright!?” Aqua asked.

He nodded “yeah I’m fine. Actually I feel great” he said standing at full height. “I actually feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders” terra stated slightly jumping up and down. Riku pondered that, holding his chin, then it hit him.

“Sora absorbed terra’s darkness. That’s why he looks normal, and why he feels fine. He lacks the darkness that xehanort left”. The others gasped, sora helped terra, but he stole ventus’s heart. It was too confusing to understand.

Aqua then picks Ventus’s body up “we should leave ven’s body with Ansem. Then we should talk to yen sid about sora”. They all nodded, while Riku and Kairi contemplated about their longtime, childhood friend.

It was sora, the fun, childish and the ever loving ball of sunshine. But now, he was a being of the shadows, someone who thrives in the darkness. Someone, who they let go of despite their promises to each other.

It was sad, and rather poetic. A trio of friends, one is of pure light, the other straddles the line in between, and the last feeds off of darkness. How they desperately trying to pull their friend into the light, only to drop him and let him plummet into the deep, inky abyss.

They could only hope for another chance, a chance to bring his home, a chance at redemption. Not only for him, but for them as well.

Keyblade Graveyard....

It was beautiful, the mass grave where previous keyblade wielders lost their lives in a meaningless battle. The physical manifestation of their strengths, hopes and feelings stay stabbed into the dead land. each weapon had a user, a story that it told, whether it was one of heroism, compassion, or deceit.

But it didn’t matter, well to one specific wielder. In the middle of a clearing stood a young man, his hair a light chocolate colour, his skin was nicely tanned, and his eyes were red like rubies and burned like fire.

He just stood there, silently. Wearing a set of white and gold armor, he rested his hands on the guard of his keyblade. He blankly stared into the distance, as if he was watching, waiting for something, or someone.

Suddenly someone appeared before him. It was another young man, he had deep chocolate coloured hair, bronzed skin, and cobalt blue eyes. 

They stared at each other, waiting as if time had stopped. Then the red eyed man walked forward, continuing to stare into those blue eyes. He never stopped his gaze, and continued to walk, even as he walked into the other man and passed right through him.

....

I can feel it now. The power, the light, the DARKNESS! I feel so warm, so free, so ‘happy’. This feeling was amazing, I wanted to experience more, I wanted to feel more. And I’ll get what I want, even if some blood is shed.

I place my hand over my chest and close my eyes, I breath in and allowed my mind to wander. Inside my heart was a circular stained glass platform. Depicted on it was a mural of my younger self, holding the kingdom key, Kairi and Riku wear in smaller circles.

But vanitas and xehanort were also there. I sneered at the old master and the man who shared my face, it was disgusting to have them represented in my heart. I looked up from the stained glass to a familiar face. 

He was struggling in his ebony shackles, trying to free himself of his shadowy bonds. I walk up to him and grab his jaw “face it Ventus, you can’t escape. You’ll stay with me, forever”. Tears stung his eyes and her shook my hand off of him “no sora! This is wrong, and you know it” he cried.

I slapped him flatly and grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking his head up to look at me .”this may be wrong to you, but it’s right to me” I jerk his head down and lean towards his ear “you’ve been with me for years Ventus. What’s another decade staying inside my heart” I whispered.

I threw his head away and turned my back to him “so now it’s time to go to sleep Ventus”. His eyes widen in fear and realization “no sora please! Just let me go!” He pleaded. I glanced 1 more time at him and smirked “no chance”.

I snapped my fingers and his restraints began to pull him down into a pool of darkness, he thrashed and shook around “please sora! NOOOoooo.....” he screamed as his heart was consumed into my darkness.

I chuckled and let my mind return to my body. I opened and closed my hand, my plans are coming to fruition. It’s only a matter of time before I am whole.

Their hearts, they call to me....


	5. Hell frozen over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I no longer feel the passionate flame that burns within. Only the dead cold lies within my heart

The mysterious tower......

“Master yen sid. What shall we do about Sora” aqua asked. “Yes please. What can we do to help him?” Kairi exclaimed, desperation in her voice. The elder wizard stroked his beard as he thought “hmm, it appears it will be difficult to bring young Sora to the side of light this time” he painfully explained.

“What? Why? We did it before, why can’t we do it again” roxas asked. Yen sid shook his head “before, he was under the influence of Xehanort. But now, he purposefully gave himself to the darkness. The only thing keeping him in the darkness, is himself”.

Riku and Kairi lowered their heads, the silver haired master gritted his teeth “if only” he grumbled. the others looked to him “Riku?” Kairi called, reaching up to grab his shoulder. Suddenly he spun around “we could have prevented this Kairi. We could have stopped this before we started. And yet again, sora is gone. He’s....”

He balled his hands into fists and tears threatened to spill from his eyes, then his despaired expression lightens up when a familiar red head hugs him, burning her face in his chest “don’t worry. Don’t worry Riku. Even if he disappears, he always comes back. He has to” he reassured.

He sniffles then hugged her back. Yen sid understood their pain and allowed them to hug further, then he felt an odd disturbance. He waved his hand and a magic scroll appeared out of a small explosion, in unrolled itself and hovered in the air.

A 3-D map of the worlds appeared, showing their location in the galaxy, but 2 in particular were the most shocking. The world that represents destiny island had a transparent ball surrounding it with a dark purple hue, that almost concealed the world within. Then the water world of Atlantica, wisps of dark smoke were wafting off of it.

“It is as I expected. But this is still unprecedented” yen sid announced. They looked at him concerned “what? What is it master yen sid? What’s wrong” they questioned. He looked up at him with a saddened expression “I regret to say this. But... master Riku, master Kairi...” he paused again, they gulped in anticipation.

“Your home of destiny islands has fallen to darkness once again” he said. They gasped “what! No that can’t be true” Riku said. Yen sid closed his eyes “it is true. I’m very sorry, but what I am most troubled by is the cause of its fall. And I fear that we know of the cause”.

They looked down, they knew the cause, but they didn’t want to believe it. “No, no it can’t be true. It couldn’t have been Sora, it has to be something else” Kairi tried to argue. But she knew it, the others have, but it was hard to believe he was capable of such a thing.

“I apologize master Kairi. But Sora has fallen to the darkness yet again. On his own accord”. It was Kairi’s turn to start crying, and like her Riku came up from behind and embraced her, she held onto his arms, taking in the feeling of his warm and strong body.

Then aqua noticed the wisps around Atlantica “master. What about that world” she asked, pointing to it. “Ah yes this. It means that there’s a huge amount of darkness on that world” he explained. Then it clicked in Kairi’s mind, she perked up, eyes red rimmed “then maybe sora’s there”. 

She spun around “we should’ve go” she said. She freed herself from riku’s arms and bolted out of the door “Kairi!” Roxas called. They turned to the elder master “master yen sid. Are we just going to let her go?” Roxas questioned.

The master sighed “I can’t stop her since she’s a master. All I could do is ask of you to accompany her”. They nodded “master Riku and roxas, you shall accompany her. Master aqua, terra, and lea, you shall return to radiant garden and guard young Naminé, xion and ventus’s body” he ordered. 

They nodded, it was only for a short moment, but Ventus has come back to life before Sora stole his heart. They bowed to the elder master, he nodded and said his signature quote “may your heart be your guiding key”. They nodded and left the room.

Outside.....

“Riku you’re not going to stop me” she growled. He shook his head “no Kairi. We’re going to come with you”. Her eyes lit up “really?” She said with hope. “Yes Kairi. It’s you, me and Sora. Nothing can separate the 3 of us” Riku reassured. 

She smiled and wiped away a tear, she pumped her fist “yeah. Now let’s get that dummy” she cheered. The blonde and silverette smiled at her enthusiasm, but they felt an underlying sense of something troubling about to happen.

Atlantica......

“Woah!” They all exclaimed. When they exited the Gummi ship (but not before they casted disguise magic on themselves to blend in) they were surprised by their new appearances.

Riku was shirtless and he had a long silver shark like tail, roxas was also shirtless but he had a orca like tail, but it fades from black around his waist to a grey tail. Then Kairi had, a pink tail with translucent fins.

Thankfully she wasn’t bare chested, she had a dark pink sea shell bra that cupped her chest tightly. “Um...how do we fight like this?” Kairi questioned, kicking her tail experimentally. The boys looked to each other, then back to her.

10 minutes of practicing swimming......

“Okay....okay. I think I got the hang of this” roxas states, swimming around at a decent pace. Riku and Kairi had also improved, but only slightly better than roxas. Then Kairi remembered why they were there in the first place “guys. We forgot about the darkness!” She exclaimed.

Their eyes widened in realization “your right. Let’s go!” Riku said, quickly he spun around and swam away, Kairi and roxas quickly followed, swimming after him. Almost immediately after they left an opening in between some rocks, they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of aquatic heartless.

Compared to them, some were smaller, while others were way larger. On instinct they summoned their keyblade’s, going into their stances, but not without a bit of difficulty, Kairi grinned “you ready”. They nodded “let’s go!” She shouted.

They slashed, stabbed and slammed the heartless with their keyblade’s, slowly diminishing their numbers. They watched as the heartless burst into clouds of darkness and glowing crystal hearts floated up before disappearing. 

After a final blow from Kairi and freeing the last heart, there were no more heartless. Even through there weren’t a lot of inhabitants seen after they defeated the dark horde, they were still glad that they ‘saved this world’.

Suddenly a pretty girl around their age swam up to them. She had red hair, not like kairi’s, more like lea’s she wore a purple sea shell bra and her tail was a beautiful shade of green. “Oh thank you for saving us. Those monsters were terrorizing us. Even my father couldn’t handle them”. 

She grabbed Kairi’s hands, which startled her “let me say this again. Thank you”. Kairi smiled at her “no problems. It’s our duty”. The 2 red head princesses smiled at each other “I’m Ariel” the girl greeted. “I’m kairi. This is Riku and roxas” she introduced. “Hi”, “nice to meet you”.

“Nice to meet you as well” Ariel replied. Then Kairi remembered why they were here, then asked the mermaid princess “um Ariel. Can I ask you something”. “Yes of course. Do you need anything?” She asked. Kairi shook her head “no. It’s just that we’re looking for someone. A friend”

“Oh okay”. She then asked away “have you seen a young boy. Brown spiky hair, red eyes, uses a weapon like us, slightly darker skin than his” she said, pointing to roxas. She thought about it, but she shook her head “I’m sorry. But I’ve seen no one like that” she said. They sighed, they hoped to see him.

Suddenly loud booms vibrated throughout the water. Ariel’s eyes bulged out of her head, she spun around and another boom echoed through out the water, but this time it was louder. No it was

Closer.

Ariel’s face was filled with fear, her perfect skin became sickly pale, Kairi grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly “Ariel? Ariel!”. The mermaid princess snapped out of her shock and spun around to grab kairi’s Shoulders, frightening her “we have to leave!” She screamed.

She grabbed her hand and started swimming away, pulling Kairi along with her. Kairi quickly freed herself from Ariel’s grasp, the princess stopped in her tracks and glared fearfully at the keyblade wielders. “Ariel what’s wrong? What’s making you like this?!” Kairi exclaimed.

“There’s a terrible beast that menaced our kingdom. It lead those others creatures here. Not only did it destroy our land, but my father was heavily injured. You can’t face it” Ariel explained.

They looked at her surprised, stronger than a heartless, what could it be. Then Riku grounded his decision and he swam forward “it’s our duty to protect the innocent. Regardless if we die, we will protect the light. Roxas and Kairi nodded, but Ariel refused “no! It’s impossible. You can’t beat it”.

Another loud boom came. It was loud and some pebbles below them shook. Then the booms became more constant, more louder, more closer. The earth itself began to shake, and the vibrations even moved Ariel, Riku, Kairi and roxas around.

They summoned their keyblade’s and faced the source of the loud quakes. Suddenly in an explosion of rocks, the stone wall before them burst into thousands of boulders and pebbles, flying up into the water before slowly falling down. 

They knocked and swatted away every piece of shattered rock that threatened to fall onto them. Once all the rocks slowly landed on the sand they saw the wall cleaved in half, clouds of sand floated from behind the wall. The warriors of light carefully swam closer, investigating the source.

Suddenly a huge large clawed hand emerged from the smoke, gripping the top of the wall tightly, crushing the stone beneath its fingers as if it were dirt. They jumped back (or is it swam back?) startled, it was huge, the Palm was large enough to hold a large body like a tennis ball.

“No! It’s him, it’s the beast!” Ariel screamed. Another arms erupted from the smoke and also gripped onto the stone wall, cursing it under its hands. Then they heard a deep and low chuckle, it sounded echoed “well, well, well. Look at what we have here. 3 little keyblade wielders ripe for the taking” the voice said.

They shivered, was this thing going to eat them. “It hasn’t been that long. But it almost feels like I miss you guys” it said. Then it hit her, the voice sounded familiar “Sora?” She hesitantly called out. The boys stared at her like she was crazy, but then the voice chuckled.

“Nice to see you too”. Then a familiar white helmet appeared through the smoke right between his arms, the black visor, golden horns and crown were too familiar. “I didn’t expect to see you guys here” I said. I playfully tapped my fingers against the wall, it freaked Ariel out.

“Sora. Stop this now, come back to us” Kairi said, but it was more like an order. I chuckled “no chance. I’m going to do what Xehanort didn’t”, I leaned closer “engulf the worlds in darkness”. They gasped in shock, Riku waved his arm “no. No that’s impossible. Sora snap out of it” he said.

I scoffed at him “snap out of it? Snap out of what?” I playfully questioned. Kairi shook her head “Sora I swear if you don’t stop, we’ll beat you up until you come back” she threatened. I chuckled again, but this time it was more aggressive.

“I’d like to see you try”. I pushed myself forward and retracted my head, they immediately realized something was wrong with me. I wasn’t even a mermaid, heck i wasn’t even humanoid. I was gigantic, much larger than a darkside, i was gold and white in color and was very buff, my muscles bulging out.

But i had no legs, to be more precise i had a snake like tail coiled behind me, tipped with 3 sharp prongs. And the most frightening about me was my head, No rather heads. I had 3 heads that resembled my helmet, each mounted on long necks.

The middle one had a wide crown on its head with horns on the side of his head that curved back. The left head had 3 layers of scale plating. Then the right head had 3 horns, 1 pointing up from his forehead and 2 jutting out from either side of the first horn.

I slowly crept towards them, moving my heads around like a slithering snake, i eventually got in front of them, I moved my side heads around so they surrounded them. “So. You’ve come to force me back” the middle head hissed, going right up in kairi’s face. Even underwater she could feel the heat of my breath.

“How touching” the right head hissed, whispering into roxas’s ear. “But you know what?” The left head inquired, circling around Riku before facing him. “I don’t give a shit” they all growled.

I retracted all of my heads and faced up, bubbles of heat began to rise from my mouths. Ariel’s eyes widened in horror and she slowly swam away “no. no! Not again! SWIM AWAY!” She screamed, swimming away until she was out of earshot.

They looked at her confused and concerned, what made her run away like a little girl. They turned back to face me, pointing their keyboards at me, but I brought all 3 of my heads down and spewed molten hot sea-fire at them. It flowed towards them like a wave of heartless.

It incinerated nearby coral and sea vegetation, turning the sand into glass and melting nearby stones. Their eyes widened in realization as it came closer “move it!” Riku ordered. He held up his arm and casted guard, Kairi did the same but Roxas hadn’t learned it yet, quickly thinking she pulled him close as shielded him too.

The sea-fire parted when it hit their barriers, engulfing their magic shields in burning magic fire. Even through the magic was block, the heat was unbearable and the power of the fire was too much. Riku and Kairi held their arms up, pouring their energy and magic into maintaining the shield.

But Roxas quickly noticed the paleness of kairi’s skin, she was heavily breathing and a bead of sweat rolled down her face (somehow?). He hastily raised his Keyblade “curaga” he casted.

Green magic quickly encircled Riku and Kairi, healing them of their fatigue. But my fire was relentless, I slowly crawled closer towards them, pouring even more magic into the fire to make it even more hotter.

Now it was getting to them. On the inside of the barriers the heat was brutal, the water was practically boiling after being heated by the fire. They gasped in shock as have the water in their bubbles quickly turned to air.

Then their eyes widened and their skin paled as a little crack rang through their barriers. It was a small fracture at first, then it quickly became a large crack, their magic was waning, slowly getting weaker as fatigue plagued them again. Then it broke.

Their barriers shattered, letting the sea-fire in. Riku held up his Keyblade but he was launched back by the heat and pressure. Kairi was about to be hit but Roxas stood in front of her and took the hit, unlike Riku the heat burned his skin, making it bubble and deform.

He cried out in pain as he was burned alive. Thankfully I stopped breathing fire, which allowed Roxas to ease up. He fell to the sea floor, laying down in the sand limply, his skin painfully singed. “Roxas!” Kairi exclaimed, swimming down and picking him up.

He cradled his body in her arms, casting curaga to heal his burns. Slowly his skin began to repair itself, from a craggily black to his perfect skin. She sighed in relief but she remembered, she whipped her head around to see Riku fighting me.

I didn’t need my Keyblade for this, I assaulted him with various swipes and slashed of my claws, thrusts and stabs from my tail, and bites and head buts from my 3 heads. Riku was dodging and blocking well, but it was apparent that he was having difficulty maneuvering in his mermaid form.

I did a hard swipe at him, he blocked it with his keyblade but that pushed him back. i took this chance, I lunged forward, the second he lowers his keyblade to get back into his stance my right head captured him in its jaws, biting down on riku’s shoulder hard enough to draw blood.

He thrashed around in my mouth, frantically smacking my armoured head with his keyblade, to no avail. I whipped my head side to side, tossing him around like a rag doll. I speared my right head down and pushed him into the sand, dragging him forward and digging him into the ground.

I stopped and relaxed my jaw letting go of him. I threw him up and batted him away with the side of my right head, throwing him into a stone wall. He slammed into it and peeled of the wall like a bandaid, slowly falling down until he softly laid on the sand. His shoulder blades were marked with terrible rope burn.

I then turned all my heads to Kairi. She was holding and unconscious roxas in her arms. I slowly crawled towards her, the strength of my palms making clouds of sand explode from the ground as I crawled forward. “Soooo, princess. What will you doooo?” I asked in a hiss, with all my heads.

She gently laid roxas down and swam up to me. Keyblade in hand she wore a menacing expression that she directed at me. I would have been intimidated if she wasn’t so small compared to me. She swam up until she was the same level as my necks at full length.

All 3 of my heads stared at her, side by side they looked like a council judging her. “Sora. I’m going to save you. No matter what your going to come back to us. Back to me” she stated. I clicked my tongues “what makes you think I’ll want to go back?” I asked, my voice echoing.

“Because! You’re not yourself. It’s the darkness affecting you!” She argued. My side heads circled around her so they were beside her “why yes indeed” the right head confessed. “But I accepted that” the left head said. “So why can’t you” the main head snarled.

She was taken aback by this, but she stood her ground. Her grip on destiny’s embrace tightened, her right arms muscles flexing. I caught her arms twitching from the corner of my eyes, she was getting impatient. 

Just as she was about to go in for a strike I used my left head and quickly circled around her. She yelp in surprise as I wrapped my thick necks around her small and thin body. I encased her quickly, her arms stuck to her sides and her tail stuck in place, she wiggles in my grasp, trying to shimmy her way out.

Her grip on her keyblade loosened, falling out of her hands and descending to the floor, hitting the sand with a small ‘clink’. She thrashed around in an attempt to free herself, her translucent tail wiggling and her arms shifting around in my grasp.

“Look at you. The great master Kairi, quickly contained by a weak keyblade wielder” I mocked in a sneer. She groaned and grunted as I wrapped around her tighter, she gasped and exclaimed as I coiled tighter around her.

I was squeezing the breath right out of her, the pressure forcing her to greedily suck in oxygen from the water. I squeezed tighter, she screamed in pain, throwing her head back, letting her hair cascade over my right heads neck. Her energy was drained from her body, she laid limp in my coiled neck.

I chuckled in amusement, she was so weak compared to me, I felt so great, it was almost orgasmic. How a simple keyblade wielder overpowered someone considered a master. I looked at her sleeping face and smirked. I opened my jaw and charged up my sea-fire again.

But my hidden eyes widened in shock at my right head. My breath hitched, my stomach churned, and my blood went ice cold. What... the... fuck?..... no fucking way. No fucking way! 

I watched in pure shock as my right head darted it’s tongue out and drew a long slow lick up kairi’s unconscious cheek, as its tongue stopped caressing her face I saw a smile creep upon its lips. “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?” I roared at my right head.

It lurched back, moving away and keeping Kairi close to it. I looked to my left head, the we both glared at my right head. We were absolutely appalled as we watched it nuzzle and cuddle into kairi, she wore an uncomfortable expression as the rough texture of my right head, scraped across her skin.

“Seriously. What are you doing?” My left head questioned. He pulled his head away “what. She’s so cute and helpless” he said. I groaned while my left head sighed, “why are you such a fucking idiot” I sneered.

He huffed “what? We’ve liked her for a long time” he whined. I shooked my head, “no. You like her, we hate her” my left head said. I nodded but he scoffed at us, “we’re going to kill her you know” I told him. I saw her face scrunch up, she must have heard us.

“Oh c’mon. Let me just play with her” he asked. My left head and I groaned “fine. But we’re leaving after”. He nodded enthusiastically, shaking Kairi who was still wrapped in his neck. We turned our heads away as my right head ‘played’ with Kairi.

As we were watching Riku and Roxas in case they were to wake up, my right head was having the time of his life. He darted his tongue out again and started lapping at Kairi’s face, dragging his tongue all around her skin, tugging at her flesh.

Kairi began to stir and wake as the feeling of his tongue felt weird on her. But her eyes immediately snapped open when she felt something, warm, wet and firm force itself into her mouth. It was thick and long, it was as wide as a soda can.

She gagged as it forced its way past her teeth and partially down her throat, her air way was blocked as it snakes down her throat. Upon further inspection (by feeling and looking) she realized it was my right head’s long forked tongue, slithering past her gag reflex.

After minutes of coughing and choking my right head pulled his tongue from her mouth. She sputtered as gasped for air. She finally felt the tight constricting tension around her loosen up, she slowly sank to the ocean floor. Limp from the erotic French kiss she just experienced.

As she was frozen in place, she watched as I crawled towards Roxas and scooped him up, holding him up and carrying him away. I leaped up, rocketing through that water like a torpedo. Now both Roxas and I had disappeared.

Her eyes were heavy, and her body threatened to fall asleep. Fatigue and pain caught up to her, the last things she saw before dozing off was a familiar boy with silver hair crawling towards her. Her eyes closed and a single tear ran down her cheek.

Somewhere.......

In a cave I jabbed my index finger into roxas’s chest. His eyes snapped open as a ball of silver light popped out of his chest, I grabbed it in between my thumb and my middle finger. His eyes shut as I tore it away from his body, now lifeless and without a heart.

with my other hand, I scooped him up and summoned a corridor of darkness, tossing him through with disregard. I then looked back to the light with all my heads, admiring it as if it were a precious diamond.

I didn’t hesitate as I brought it to my chest and pressed it into my sternum with my palm. Yeah, 2 down, only 2 more to go. I feel great, so light, so free. I crawled deeper into the cave, the size of the cavern increased, until I came to a large opening.

It was large enough for at least 5 of my sea form to fit in so I didn’t worry, and the cave was so remote that I didn’t have to worry about any inhabitants walking in by accident. I circled around once before laying down on my belly, I crossed my arms in front of me and laid all 3 of my heads on my arms.

I shimmied around to get comfortable before I fell asleep, a little nap wouldn’t hurt. Slowly my heads started to snooze away. First my right, then my left, and finally my last head dozed off. Now a large white and gold hydra was sleeping away in a cave, that was a sight to see.

...?????.......

“Roxas. Roxas!! Wake up!!” A familiar voice called, as roxas was shaken lightly. The blonde’s eyes fluttered open, he sat up and clutches his head, groaning from a steering headache “ugh. What happened” he slurred. “Roxas! Thank goodness, you’re alright!” The voice exclaimed.

Immediately roxas’s breath was pulled from his lungs as someone barreled into him. He grunted as he was squeezed tightly, his eyes came into focus and immediately he recognized that his apparent twin was holding him in a terribly tight embrace.

“V-Ventus?!” He gasped out. Ventus’s eyes snapped open and he pulled himself away so he stared into roxas’s eyes. “What’s going on? Where are we?!” Roxas stammered. Ventus turned and looked down, roxas looked at him confused but then he realized where they were.

Below them was a large stained glass, it was glowing and full of bright colors. But the most alarming was the depiction of a familiar brunette in the middle, eyes closed as if sleeping away. “Th-this is” roxas uttered in disbelief, his eyes bulging out.

“Yeah. I know” Ventus sighed, sitting down with his knee bent up, his other leg against the floor and his arm resting against his knee. He patted the glass beneath him “if your here that means he got you too”. Roxas stared at him “g-got me? You mean he stole my heart?!”.

“Yeah. There’s no way around it. Sora stole your heart, as he did with me”. Roxas started frantically looking around “isn’t there a way to escape?!” He questioned. Ventus shook his head “I tried before. But his darkness dragged my back here. All I can do now is watch and wait” he said, surrendering.

Roxas grit his teeth and tighten his fists. “Well as bad as it is, I’m glad you’re here. All I had for company was him” Ventus said, pointing to his left with his thumb. Roxas was confused and looked to his right, his eyes widened further when he caught sight of said brunette sitting cross legged, impatiently rocking back and forth.

His face fill with rage “YOU!” Roxas growled. But before he could stomp his way to Sora, Ventus grabbed his wrist. He looked at his twin flabbergasted “what are you doing?! He’s right there!”. Ventus shook his head “look behind you” he told roxas.

Very annoyed and angry, roxas turned around, His mind couldn’t comprehend what was happening. On his right was a teenager with chocolate brown hair, bronzer skin and cerulean blue eyes, and on his left was a similar looking boy. He had light brown hair, crimson red eyes and bronzed skin.

He had an annoyed expression, he was wearing black boots, black slacks, black gloves and a tank top. His arms we crossed and he was glaring at the 2 blondes “h-how?!” Roxas questioned. Ventus shrugged “I have no clue. None of them will tell me”.

He looked back and forth from the 2 brunettes, it was clearly visible what they represented. Blue eyes of truth and innocent and red eyes of lies and deceit. 2 sides of the same coin.

Roxas reluctantly sighed, he slumped down and laid on his back “I think I’ll take your advice Ven”. He closed his eyes and breathed in “please be safe guys” he wished.

Radiant garden......

They had put Ventus in a sleeping pod. Aqua placed her hand on the glass and glanced at her sleeping friend, it was just like 10 years ago again. She sighed and left, leaving Ventus floating in a pod. She walked into the room where xion, Naminé, terra, Ansem and Ienzo were talking.

“We can keep his body here. You can trust us” Ienzo reassured, reading from his tablet. They all nodded, Naminé and xion looking a little meek. Suddenly someone was dashing down the hallway, screaming at the top of his lungs “Ansem! Help!.

They burst into the room to reveal the flame head Lea, but he was holding an unconscious and limp body. He was holding onto roxas, lea’s eyes were wide and his breath was labored “Axel? What’s wrong? Is that roxas?” Naminé questioned. Lea disregarded her and looked to Ansem.

“Master Ansem. Please scan him!” He pleaded, urgency in his voice. The elder scientist nodded “put him on the chair” he said. Lea quickly placed him on the examination chair, gently laying his friend down. He back off as Ienzo turned on a machine, it scanned roxas, a green light passing over him twice.

He was pressing things in his tablet until a loud buzzing sound rang through. His eyes widened and he gulped, he showed his master who also took on the same expression “what?! What’s wrong with him!” Axel questioned. Ansem sighed and nodded, Ienzo quickly turned his tablet around and showed them the results.

Lea quickly snatched it from his hands and looked at the results. His eyes widened as well and his breath hitched,His hands trembled. Naminé, xion, terra and aqua looked at him concerned, then he slowly turned the tablet to show them the information.

Their eyes widened. I front of them was a full body scan of Roxas, but blinking above his body and on a heart displayed beside him were 2 red X’s. “I’m sorry to say this, but his heart is missing” Ansem Informed them.

Naminé dropped to her knees and clutches her head “no no no no no no no.....this can be. He can’t do this”. She started crying, tears running down her cheeks, Xion knelt down and hugged the blonde, patting her head to calm Naminé down. She hiccuped a couple times before her breathing became stable.

“Sora can’t do this to us. We have to stop him” she said hysterically. Xion continued to soothingly rub the blonde girl’s back “it’s okay Naminé, we’ll figure this out” she cooed. Suddenly they heard frantic footsteps again, just like Axel Riku burst into the room.

He was sweating and his jacket was off. In his arms was a passed out Kairi “Riku! What happened to you!?” Aqua exclaimed. He gave out a dry exhale then gulped “so-ra.....”. Riku then blacked out, dropping Kairi and falling forward.

Riku was face first into kairi’s Hip, his lair obscuring his head, and Kairi was still unconscious, her auburn hair pooling around her head. Axel quickly picked the princess of heart up, cradling her in his arms.

But when Naminé looked up she suddenly gasped, covering her mouth “Naminé. What’s wrong?” Aqua questioned. She didn’t answer, she lifted up her shaky hand and pointed to riku’s back. Confused Ienzo walked over and knelt down, putting his hand on riku's back.

His eyes widened and he quickly grabbed the hem of the silverette’s shirt, pulling his shirt up to reveal a horrible wound. Aqua and terra covered their mouths in horror, bile threatening to come up from their stomachs. On his back were 2 large gashes, in between each shoulder blade and his spine.

“Quickly! We need to get him on the table” Ansem ordered. Terra nodded and proceeded to hoist the young master up into his arms, walking over to an examination table beside roxas and gently laid him onto his stomach. “Ienzo. We have to disinfect his wounds” Ansem said, pulling a cart with various surgical equipment.

Ienzo tapped his tablet a couple times. a machine came down from the ceiling, rotating and pivoting until it was directly above Riku. A mechanical arm lowered down and a nozzle jutted out. Ienzo looked up to confirm before he pressed his tablet again.

The machine beeped, rotating a canister into a tube. Within a couple seconds the machine sprayed blue liquid from the canister onto riku’s back. Riku softly cried out before groaning in pain, the disinfectant liquid soaking into his wounds. After spraying for a couple seconds, the machine stopped and let the disinfectant settle.

The machine arm beeped again. Switching out the disinfectant for a new canister. Again the machine waited a couple seconds before spraying a green liquid onto his back. His wounds glowed green before the large gashes on his back began to patch itself up.

Riku sighed in relief and fell asleep, his face relaxed and gentle. “Young Riku is healed now. He just needs to rest now” Ansem said, checking Riku’s naked back. As everyone sighed in relief, they heard a soft moan. They turned around to see Kairi slowly waking up, her eyes fluttering open.

“Kairi!” Axel exclaimed, lightly shaking the princess. Kairi blinked a couple times and groaned, shifting around in axels arms “mmh...uh”. Axel rolled his eyes “oy! Wake up” he said, lightly smacking her face. She groaned again and pushed his hand away “mmhg! I’m up. You can stop” she growled, and stood up.

She rubbed her eyes and dusted off her skirt. Kairi stretches her arms out and yawned “where are we”. She yawned again and covered her mouth, looking around with 1 open eye. But both her eyes snapped open when she saw roxas and Riku on operation tables.

“Riku! Roxas!” She exclaimed, running to stand beside them. She hovered her hands over Riku, then to Roxas, Kairi then whipped her head around and stared at the others with wide eyes “what happened to them?!”. They looked to each other worryingly, then back to her.

“Kairi. Riku got hurt badly, and Roxas’s heart is missing” aqua explained. Dread filled her face, her skin paled and her pupils shrank to pin pricks. “W-what?” She said in disbelief. She looked around and everybody nodded. Kairi looked down, she bit her lip and gripped the edge of Roxas’s bed tightly, her knuckles turning white.

“I’m a failure” she uttered. “Kairi?” Aqua called concerned, walking closer to her and extending her arm to grab the young girls shoulder. “I’m a failure aqua” she confessed. They looked at her shocked “Kairi, you aren’t a-“. “No aqua!” Kairi quickly whirled on the blue haired master, tears streaming down her cheeks and anger in her eyes.

“I’m a failure. As a Keyblade master, and as a friend. To Roxas, to Riku, and to Sora” she cried. Kairi slumped to her knees and hiccuped “why? Why did I let this happen”. Aqua knelt down and rubbed Kairi’s back comfortingly “Kairi. Don’t blame yourself. It isn’t your fault, Sora just got stronger” she said soothingly.

Kairi looked up and sniffed, wiping away her tears with her arm. She nodded meekly, Aqua smiled at her. The 2 girls got to their feet, “Terra. Are you feeling alright?” Aqua asked. He looked confused “uh yeah, why?”. “Because were going to another world” she announced. 

The old brunette chuckled “like old times?” He playfully asked. She nodded “yeah. Just like old times”.

The Castle that never was.......

“Okay so I just.....”. Currently I was in the castle’s laboratory with a couple replica’s, trying to find out how to put my heart in each one. How did Xehanort even do this? I fumbled and an arm popped out of a replica’s shoulder socket.

“Shit!” I exclaimed, catching it before it hit the floor. Is sighed and popped the arm back into the replica, I run my hand through my spikes, scrunching up my face in annoyance. The only way I know how to transfer a heart is if I stab myself with my keyblade, but if I do that, I would free Ventus and roxas.

I rubbed my chin, pondering my options. Then I looked at my hand, I wonder? I flexed my hands, wisps of darkness floated up from my hand. I stretched my arm out and placed it on the puppets ‘sternum’, injecting my darkness into the empty vessel.

After a moment I pulled my arm back, nothing changed, did I do something wrong? Then it twitched, I jerked back startled. Then a simple twitch became a jerk, then it started to convulse. It fell off of the table and dropped to the floor.

It was thrashing around until it came to a halt. Slowly the blank replica began to take shape. It’s thin arms and legs began to gain mass, its body gaining muscles. It’s white plastic exterior taking on a bronze skin tone, and finally from its head silver spikes of hair grew and jutted out from all angles.

I peered over it, waiting for it to move. I saw it’s finger twitch, then it’s arm, then it began to stir. It dragged its arms above its head and pushed itself up, propping it on its newly formed arms. I watched as it stood to full height, its body swaying slightly.

I observed the replica. It was exactly like me in every way, then my eyes trailed down to his lower region. Yeah, exactly like me. I then remembered the concept of modesty and faced away. I cleared my throat and picked up the set of clothes I had on another table.

“Here. Cover yourself up” I said, handing a coat, underwear and pants to the replica. It’s held its arms out as I dropped the clothes into its hands, it slowly raised its head up to look at me. I was surprised, pure green eyes, reminds me of Selphie.

I cleared my throat again “from now on I am your master. Do you understand”. It slowly nodded “good”. I looked to the other empty vessels, I got some work on my hands.

To be continued……

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a king Ghidorah reference, with the heads having different personalities


End file.
